Pipe Organs of WA
 
 
 
 
 

St. Columba's Presbyterian Church, Devonport, Tasmania
The pipe organs of Western Australia



Devonport St Columba
The original 1906 church building

Devonport St Columba

Devonport St Columba
Photo: Duncan Grant

Devonport St Columba
Paul Hufner in his Inglewood workshop making the organ for St Columba's Church


Devonport St Columba


Property
Name of institution   St. Columba's Presbyterian Church
Type of institution0   Church
Street Address   13 Edwards Street
City   Devonport
State   Tasmania
Postcode   7310
Country   Australia
Name of building   St. Columba's Presbyterian Church
Name of room   Church Sanctuary
Dates of the building   1956
Register of Heritage Places  
Heritage Place number  
Architect  
Builder  

Special architectural features and fittings  

Other location information   Devonport was created in 1890 with the merging of two towns on the opposite banks of the Mersey River; Formby on the west bank and Torquay on the east bank. The area was first settled in the 1840s.

By the 1950s Devonport’s original Presbyterian church, built in 1906, [see No.232 ] was no longer able to accomodate the large congregation. On 16 December 1956, the foundation stone for a new church, was officially laid by Rev. F.J. Scrimgeour, on a site adjacent to the earlier building, The church was officially opened and dedicated, as St Columba’s, on 12 October 1957, by the State Moderator, the Rt. Rev. K. McLean.

Situated on the corner of Best and Edward streets, the new church was built of brick with rendered interior walls and polished myrtle floors. The building was designed by architect Mr. A. A. Freak. The original communion table was retained but the pulpit and pews were replaced with modern pieces made of Tasmanian oak and maple. The new building had a capacity to seat two hundred.

At the rear of the church large concertina doors were fitted to accomodate an overflow congregation in the foyer. The foyer in turn was connected with the old church which was used as a hall. A pipe organ was built by Paul Hafner, of Perth, Western Australia, and dedicated by the moderator in January 1961.

During the 1970’s there were moves to join with the Congregational and Methodist churches to form a branch of the Uniting Church. After a process of voting, the Devonport church elected to remain a Presbyterian Church. The Devonport Presbyterian church is one of 14 Presbyterian churches that remain in Tasmania.

Name of contact  
Mailing Address  
Telephone  
Email  
Other contact information  

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Previous organ(s)
Date of previous organ   None
Detail of previous organ  
Dates when key work has been undertaken  
Dates of any moves that have taken place  
Variations from original design of organ  
Information on previous organ  
Information about comparable instruments to previous organ  
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Present organ
Type of installation   Freestanding

Case description   Entire organ enclosed in plain casework with pedal towers.

Placement in room  

Builder's name   Paul F. Hufner.

Opus number  

Date of completion/installation   1960

Construction materials   Two (2)

Number of manuals  

Key compasses  

Number of keys  

Key material  

Pedal compass  

Number of pedals  

Pedalboard type  

Pedalboard material  

Type of chests  

Type of key action   Electro-magnetic

Type of stop action   Electro-magnetic

Couplers  

Tremulants  

Accessories   

Console type   Detached stopkey

Stop label material  

Placement  

General design  

Playing aids  

Divisions   Great, Swell, Pedal

Wind pressures  

Stop list  
GREAT
Bourdon 16' A
Open Diapason 8' B
Gamba 8' C
Gedeckt 8' D
Octave Diapason 4' B
Gedeckt 4' D
Principal 2' B
Trumpet 8' E
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SWELL
Open Diapason 8' B
Gamba 8' C
Flute 8' D
Gamba 4' C
Gedeckt 4' D
Twelfth 2 2/3' D
Gamba 2' C
Larigot 1 1/3' D
Trombone 16' E
Trumpet 8' E
Trumpet 4' E
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PEDAL
Bourdon 16' A
Echo Bourdon 16'
Quint 10 2/3' A
Open Diapason 8' B
Gedeckt 8' D
Gamba 8' C
Trombone 16' E
Trumpet 8' E
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Total number of stops   27

Total number of ranks   5 plus mixture

Total number of pipes  

Dates when key work has been undertaken on current organ   Originally built as a 4 rank extended organ.
Rebuilt in 1971 by K.R. Davis & Son with renewed console.
Renovated in 1978 by Laurie Pipe Organs with new windchest
Renovated in 1993 by Australian Pipe Organs with new switching.

Dates of any moves that have taken place to current organ  

Information on current organ  

Comparable instruments to current organ  

Assessment of organ and current status  

Other organs by this builder   There are many organs by Paul Hufmer in Western Australia. Please refer to Western Australian Organs Builders Index

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Document control Original entries B A Clarke & J M S Johnson, Pipe Organs of Tasmania.
Additional information from GAZETTEER OF TASMANIAN PIPE ORGANS by John Maidment, revised October 2007.
This entry D B Duncan 12 February 2009.
Photograph of Paul Hufner making the organ scanned by Megan Rohde from Hufner family records and supplied by June Westhoff 25 September 2010.
Information and photographs from Churches of Tasmania.